1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device as represented by a display unit by itself, such as a CRT or an LCD or an information processing device having a display unit, such as a CRT or an LCD, incorporated therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
A display unit such as a CRT or an LCD (liquid crystal display device) is used with an information processing device such as a personal computer. The display unit is connected to the personal computer via a cable, or the display unit is incorporated in the body of the personal computer. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 11-190978 discloses a liquid crystal display monitor having a magnetic disk unit and an optical disk therein. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 11-154036 discloses a desktop computer integrally including a display unit and being supported for rotation about a horizontal axis. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 10-275025 discloses a desktop computer integrally including a display unit and being displaceably supported by a supporting unit.
Conventionally, a display device is supported for rotation about a horizontal axis so that a user can use the display unit at a desired position. Recently, there has been demanded a display device that is supported for rotation about a vertical axis. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 10-143084 discloses a display device that is supported for rotation not only about a horizontal axis but also about a vertical axis.
The display device that is supported for rotation about a vertical axis as well as about a horizontal axis has an advantage in that the display device can be used at a position in a relatively narrow area. When such a display device is used, a person located adjacent to the user can look at the display without changing position.
A mechanism for rotatably supporting the display unit about a horizontal axis has so far been widely used as a tilt unit. However, a mechanism for rotatably supporting the display unit about a vertical axis has not been developed as much. For example, the above described Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 10-143084 discloses a display unit that has a mechanism for rotatably supporting the display unit about a horizontal axis, and a mechanism for rotatably supporting the display unit about a vertical axis. In this display unit, the mechanism for rotatably supporting the display unit about a horizontal axis includes a horizontal shaft for rotatably supporting the display unit about a horizontal axis, and a mechanism for rotatably supporting the display unit about the vertical axis is provided at a position eccentric from the horizontal shaft. The mechanism for rotatably supporting the display unit about the vertical axis comprises a first member having a hole at the center, and a second member having a vertical shaft provided at a position corresponding to the hole of the first member. The vertical shaft of the second member is inserted into the hole of the first member, and the first member and the second member can relatively rotation around the axis of this vertical shaft. In this structure, the first member is rotated relative to the second member while the bottom surface of the first member and the upper surface of the second member slide over each other.
However, in the mechanism where the bottom surface of the first member and the upper surface of the second member slide over each other, there is relatively large friction between the two surfaces, and when the display device has large weight, a relatively large force is necessary for rotating the first member relative to the second member. This mechanism suffers from a problem in that it is difficult to easily rotate the display unit to a desired position, because a large force is necessary.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a display device which has a relatively simple structure and in which a display unit or part can rotate about a first axis and about a second axis.
A display device according to the present invention comprises a display part and a base part supporting the is display part. The base part comprises a tilt unit mounting the display part for rotation about a first axis, a first member directly or indirectly supporting the tilt unit, a second member disposed in a facing relationship with the first member, a guide part provided on one of the first member and the second member for guiding the first member and the second member for relative rotation therebetween about a second axis different from the first axis, and at least one low friction member disposed between the first member and the second member.
In the above structure, the display device is supported for rotation not only about the first axis (for example, a horizontal axis) but also about the second axis (for example, a vertical axis), so it is possible to use the display device at a position in a relatively narrow area and to change its direction. As a result, it is possible to mitigate limits in a space in which the display device is disposed. Further, the load of the display part is transmitted from the first member to the second member through at least one low-friction member, so it is easily possible to rotate the display device to a desired position about the second axis (for example, the vertical axis).